Drivers’ Protest: Petrol Pumps Getting Out Of Stock; Video Shows Long Queue, "No Petrol" Board (Photo on X Mubashir.Khurram @infomubashir)
Many places in Maharashtra continue to witness strong protests and panic situations, as the truck drivers continue their agitation against the hit-and-run provision in the newly enacted criminal law. Videos surfaced online show long queues outside the petrol pumps in many places including Nagpur, Thane, Jalgaon and Dhulia in the state. The surroundings of the petrol pumps are crowded with vehicles waiting for their turn to fill their petrol tanks.
The protest has spread to other states also, as some areas of Punjab including Amritsar and Patiala witnessed similar protests against the new hit-and-run provision of the criminal law. The videos from some of Punjab”s areas also showed people queueing long in front of the petrol pumps. Many petrol pumps here in Punjab have gone dry following the second day of the protest by the truck drivers.
Long queues at petrol bunks in Hyderabad, vehicle owners resort to panic buying as truck drivers strike. Urging authorities to take necessary action @TelanganaCMO @HMOIndia @UttamINC @revanth_anumula @hydcitypolice @TelanganaDGP #PetrolDieselPrice #TruckDriversProtest pic.twitter.com/gutA4E9MAj
— J Deepthi Nandan Reddy (@DeeptiNandanRdy) January 2, 2024
Videos from some places in Hyderabad, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh show many vehicles standing in a long queue for petrol, including many putting boards displaying “No Petrol”
Truckers” protest: Long queues at petrol pumps, most fuel stations go dry in #Hyderabad #Telangana pic.twitter.com/6C4SUY08uP
— Mubashir.Khurram (@infomubashir) January 2, 2024
On Monday, some petrol pumps in Nagpur district had run out of stock and the management of petrol pumps had said that they will have to display the No Petrol board in the situation remains unchanged. The petrol tanker drivers had on Monday parked their trucks, stopping the work and hence getting the pumps out of stock. The situation has forced the closure of some of the petrol pumps in Thane, Maharashtra.
In the protest, a police officer was injured following the attack by some protesters and the police used force to control the situation. The video surfaced online showing attackers with sticks beating and pelting stones at the police personnel on Monday.
Though the petrol was supplied to 150 pumps, people are buying more petrol out of panic, which further creates problems in maintaining the stock in pumps, according to Keyur Parikh, Mumbai”s Petrol Pump Association dealer.
“Petrol was supplied to 150 petrol pumps in Mumbai last night. However, due to panic buying people are buying more petrol than what is required, making it difficult to maintain the stock of petrol. It will be difficult if there is no supply of petrol in the coming days,” he said.
What is the new hit-and-run law and why the truck drivers are protesting
According to the new law, which replaced the old colonial-era law, a driver who causes a serious accident and then runs the scene without informing the concerned officials or police can get stringent punishment – up to 10 years of imprisonment or a whopping Rs 7 Lakh fine. Previously, the hit and run provision included up to two years of imprisonment upon identification. The new law thus awards more rigorous punishment for the driver who hit and run an accident spot.
However, many expert claims that the new law needs comprehensive details or more clarity as to how drivers will inform the police when they are facing public anger in an accident situation.
